November 8, 2023
Author: Pastor Gordon Cook
November 08, 2023
By faith Abel offered to God
a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended
as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his
faith, though he died, he still speaks.
Hebrews 11:4
So
you have two brothers Cain and Abel, and they bring two sacrifices and
if you know the story, you got all the way back to Genesis 4 where you
get an expanded version of this account. Genesis 4:3-4 In
the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of
the ground, and Abel also brought off the firstborn of his flock and of
their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,
So it’s clear from both Hebrews 11 and Genesis 4, you have Cain and Abel both bring
offerings one is accepted, and one was not. What’s the problem? Was
there something wrong with Cain and what he brings? I think there’s two
problems with Cain. There was a grace problem or a faith problem. Isn’t
that what the chapters about? It’s showing men and women who had faith.
I
believe there is a faith problem. If we look at verse six, immediately
following, look at what it says, Hebrews 11:6 “Without faith, it is
impossible to please God.” Cain had no faith. Cain was an unregenerate
man and we know that from Genesis. Because when Cains feels a lack of
acceptance on the part of God we’re told in Genesis 4, Cain was “Very
angry and his faith fell” and later on he murders his brother in Genesis
4:8. Then you have this new testament character analysis of Cain.
Listen to what John says about Cain, “Cain was of the evil one and
murdered his brother.” So you have the best of religious deeds, the most
impressive of religious deeds without faith is an abomination to God.
So that’s the first problem, the major problem. There was this problem
with Cains offering, he brings it without faith.
The
second problem with Cain, he’s not only devoid of saving faith. Look
again at Hebrews 11 :4 “By faith, Abel offered to God a more acceptable
sacrifice.” You could translate it as some do, a more excellent
sacrifice. I don’t think there was anything intrinsically wrong with the
sacrifice that Cain brings. If you go back to Genesis 4 you get a
little bit better at understanding of what the problem was. Genesis 4:3
says “In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the
fruit at the ground. In the course of time, he’s highlighting the time
factor and one translation renders it this way, “At the designated
time.” There was a prescribed time of bringing offerings and brining
particular offerings to God. A sin offering was to be brought first.
So
you see the problem, Cain chooses to bring a fruit and a vegetable at
the wrong time. He should’ve brought a sin offering, an animal offering,
a blood offering . He’s doing things his way, not God’s way. Abel in
faith and with humility brings a sin offering, he’s acknowledging his
sinner hood. Cain in his pride and self righteousness is not. Dr. John
MacArthur makes this very point, listen to what he says: “There was
nothing intrinsically wrong with Cains offering, grain, fruit, or
vegetable offerings were included in the mosaic covenant but the sin
offering had to come first. Like so many today Cain wrongly assumed he
could approach God on his own terms. In doing so he became the father of
all false religions, and his name he became synonymous with rebellion
and apostasy.”
That’s
strong language but that’s true. There are people all over the world who
are “very religious” and they think can go to God on their terms,
anytime, anywhere, whoever, wherever, what kind of God they want to
worship. But they can’t and that’s the biggest lie in the world. It’s
only through Jesus Christ, it’s only through a blood sacrifice. The only
way we can come to God is by faith, we must believe that he is, we must
believe in the true God. And only because of a blood sacrifice, we
don’t make sacrifices do we? Jesus made the sacrifice. But it’s because
of Christ, the perfect lamb sacrifice that we can come to God.
So
he must come by faith, faith in our Savior, faith in his finished work
on Calvary. But we must come through Jesus Christ, only the child of God
, only the Christian can come to God and be assured of his prayer. And
it’s because we have acceptance and because of the blood sacrifice. So
it’s good to remind ourselves when we come to prayer; this is a blood
bought privilege and a gift. If Jesus had not died on the cross, we
would not have assurance that we could come to God and he will hear us,
but because of the sacrifice of Jesus, we can come freely, joyfully,
thankfully, and humbly.
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